Noise? What Noise?
September 9th, 2016
Former Atlanta head coach now Bucs DC Mike Smith points to energetic fans for Dixie Chicks’ home-opener win streak. A Bucs defender isn’t buying it.
It seems the main reason the Dixie Chicks have won eight straight home openers is the raucous noise raised by Atlanta fans.
That’s the word from a guy who might know about such things, current Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith. Thing is, one of his Bucs players doesn’t buy it.
Joe asked Smith, the former head coach of the Dixie Chicks, about Atlanta’s winning streak to open their home schedule. Smith, whose Dixie Chicks teams are responsible for the first seven wins of that streak, immediately pointed to the loud noise generated by fans.
“Well it’s very loud – it’s tough for offenses going into that environment to communicate,” Smith said. “The fans, they’re really jacked up and they do a good job there. The acoustics in the building aren’t very good, so it makes it even tougher to communicate.”
(Especially with the fake crowd noise, Coach!)
However, one of Smith’s highly prized rookies, cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, isn’t impressed. While Hargreaves is expected to play in his first NFL game at Atlanta Sunday, it’s not like the former Florida Gators star has never played in a loud house.
In fact, Hargreaves played in that very same stadium, the Georgia Dome, in the SEC championship game last year against Alabama. So Joe asked Hargreaves about the noise in the dome. He shrugged his shoulders.
“For me, not necessarily,” Hargreaves said. “For me, playing defense, when you go away, the crowd is not making that much noise. The home team is on offense. So it really doesn’t affect us too much.”
Nor did it seem to affect America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston. Remember his first road game in the NFL, Jameis and the Bucs beat the Saints 28-19 in the Superdome, not exactly a mausoleum.
In fact, when the Bucs played at Atlanta last year, Jameis didn’t have a great game and guided the Bucs to a 23-20 overtime win.
So Joe thinks Hargreaves may be onto something. At the end of the day, it’s all about blocking and tackling and catching the ball, not about how loud tens of thousands of drunks can scream.
September 9th, 2016 at 12:10 pm
All enclosed sold-out domed stadiums are loud. Basic physics. Some outdoor stadiums can get LOUD, too. VHIII is just stating basic common sense. Go MIGHTY BUCS Sunday!!
September 9th, 2016 at 12:12 pm
They’ll be loud in the first couple drives (which I believe should be no huddle anyway) and in the fourth if the game is close, which I dont believe it will be. I’m expecting a back and forth first half, but Jameis and the offense will pull away in the third. Dougie will finish the dirty birds off in the fourth.
Bucs win 27- 17.
September 9th, 2016 at 12:13 pm
Doesn’t matter at all Joe.
NOS BOS has not only guaranteed a win, but a full on smack down of the Dirty Birds……so ya know, no worries right?
And if he’s wrong, hopefully he goes away for good.
Just wait on it.
September 9th, 2016 at 12:42 pm
A single falcons fan is obnoxious enough but you cram tens of thousands of them together and of course it’ll get loud.
September 9th, 2016 at 1:49 pm
Why would it matter to a defensive player? VH3 saying some simple common sense
September 9th, 2016 at 2:16 pm
Anyone watch the Broncos vs Panthers last night? That Broncos crowd was extremely loud. Cam Newton kept using his timeouts because of it.
Was a fantastic game with a playoff feel to it.
That new Broncos QB has potential, even if he did turn the ball over. Last night was his first time throwing passes in an NFL Regulation game, so growing pains are to be expected…but he was very good regardless.
Sort of like a young Peyton Manning that could scramble too.
September 9th, 2016 at 2:53 pm
Bucs just need to come out ready to hit em where it hurts and shut those cocky Falcon fans up, kinda like we did to Philly last year.
September 9th, 2016 at 2:59 pm
Koetter has plenty of experience playing in loud stadiums. I feel certain he’ll have a game plan that takes it into consideration.
Other posters have said this and I agree. I hope we come out with a no huddle offense and go right for the jugular. If we go three and out so be it. I just believe #3 plays better in that offense, he seems to really thrive on up tempo football.
September 9th, 2016 at 3:32 pm
D@$!weed dushe you still talkin. My senses tell me you envy me. And my confidence is something you aspire to have but are lacking. Sure your girl if you have one can confirm. But this is what I’ll do for you since your reverse psychology clearly enjoys my presence here on this site. I give you my word I’ll stick around these parts for a long long lloooonnnggg time. Bright guy. And yes we about to smash Atlanta.
September 9th, 2016 at 3:36 pm
Anyone who thinks crowd noise affects the outcome of NFL games is doomed to be a fry cook at McDonald’s forever.
In college, sure. A freshman walking into the Swamp for his first game might be overwhelmed by the scale of the crowd and the noise.
But for a pro with silent audibles and snap counts that are drilled into them? Get outta here.
September 9th, 2016 at 4:23 pm
We should take the fans out of it by halftime anyway. If we play like we did in the Browns game, where our starters played the whole half, the game will be over by the third quarter. Buckle up and sit tight, you’re in for a ride. Go BUCS!
September 9th, 2016 at 8:14 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
September 9th, 2016 at 2:16 pm
“Anyone watch the Broncos vs Panthers last night? That Broncos crowd was extremely loud. Cam Newton kept using his timeouts because of it.”
He threw some very nice balls… but Joe has drilled it into us that you can’t win in the NFL with a good quarterback and a great defense. You have to have a first round “franchise” quarterback in this league. So, I don’t have high expectations for Denver this year. That win last night was a fluke.
September 9th, 2016 at 9:05 pm
I was at that game last year and will be again this year, the Bucs had a nice contingent of fans there and we were louder than their fans, especially because they kept turning the ball over.
September 10th, 2016 at 1:56 pm
Make no mistake, Atlanta is a tough place to play, especially in a season opener. Dan Quinn and staff had a whole season’s worth of game film on Winston to analyze for 6 months. Let’s hope Winston’s game has improved this offseason and the Bucs have some new wrinkles for opponents this year.